Thread counting device



Jan.- 22, 1963 H. BUYSCH 3,074,631

THREAD COUNTING DEVICE Filed June 4, 1959 INVENTOR f/f h/K 101+ 5 u YJc/H ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofilice 3,074,631 Patented Jan. 22, 1963 3,074,631 THREAD COUNTING DEVICE Heinrich Buysch, Aachen-Soars, Germany, assignor to H. Krantz Sohne, a German corporation Filed June 4, 1959, Ser. No. 818,129 2 Claims. (Cl. 235-92) The present invention relates to a thread counting device and it particularly relates to a device adapted for counting of weft threads or loops in moving fabrics.

When finishing woven or knittted fabrics on tentering frames, it is frequently desirable to maintain a predetermined number of weft or filler threads per unit length in accordance with specifications.

Because of the difliculty of obtaining accurate readings, it has not been found satisfactory to read the number of weft or filler threads in moving fabrics for purposes of control by means of a flash illuminated stroboscope in combination with a lunometric weft counter which is effective as a result of the reflected or transmitted light incident upon the moving fabric.

Usually it is quite difiicult to control the frequency of the flashes of light in relationship to the speed of movement of the fabric so that a stationary image will be obtained, and even when such effect is achieved the taking of successive readings is tiring and creates a great deal of eye strain and the results are not sufliciently precise to achieve the desired results.

Nor is it satisfactory to utilize a photocell device having an associated light source, with the fabric in question being passed thereby and with the fluctuations in intensity giving an electrical signal for an operating counter.

Such a photocell device can only approximate the number of weft or filler threads per unit length, and it is quite possible to have variation in the number of Weft threads or filler threads at various position in the fabric without proper indication by the counter, which is actuated by the photocell.

It is among the objects of the present invention to provide a novel and more reliable counting system which will continuously measure and determine the number of threads or strands per unit length, which is particularly typical of fabrics traveling through tenter frames and which will accurately determine whether the fabric throughout its length has the desired number of weftwise or filler wise strands per unit length after it has been extended or stretched on the tenter frame.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a thread counting arrangement which will substantially automatically control the speed of the fabric in accordance with the desired number of weft or filler strands it is desired to maintain per unit length, so that the final fabric will have the desired structure.

Still further objects and advantages will appear in the more detailed description set forth below, it being understood, however, that this more detailed description is given by way of illustration and explanation only and not by way of limitation, since various changes therein may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.

In accomplishing the above objects, it has been found most satisfactory, according to one embodiment of the present invention, to utilize a control arrangement which will regulate the over-feed to a tenter frame in accordance with the desired number of weftwise or fillerwise strands per unit length that are indicated desirably at one point of travel of the fabric along or through the frame, and desirably at the end of the frame, remote from the overfeed arrangement.

The arrangement of the present application may be utilized in combination with or supplemental to a stroboscope device which will flash illuminate the fabric at a desired point with an associated lunometric weft counter interposed between the stroboscope and the eye of the observer, and/ or the arrangement may also be combined with a photocell light source arrangement in which the fabric is caused to pass between the photocell and the light source and give rise to an intensity determination which may be converted into an electrical signal for determining the total number of weft or filler threads per unit length.

In the preferred arrangement the beam of an emitter device, such as a strong light source, is positioned in association with a receiver such as a photocell, between which the fabric is passed with an interrupter or shutter disc being positioned in association therebetween, revolving at a speed proportional to the speed of the fabric and provided with openings of width proper to the limitation of the count of a predetermined unit length. f

A feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a count which will take a much greater length than a centimeter or inch so as to eliminate insignificant deviations in the number of weft threads in the specified number per unit length, as would for example occur, due to slight differences in the rate of feed at the center of the fabric, as compared to the selvage edges.

To accomplish a uniform count without minute variation due to too great inaccuracy, it has been found desirable to obtain an average value over a length, say, as long as 10 times the unit length, with the unit digit of the counter being'masked or suppressed so that the actual count will be based upon 10 centimetersor 10 inches without the repeated variation or deviation resulting from a count on too short a length, such as an inch or centimeter as the case may be.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the in vention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as hereinafter more specifically described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein is shown an embodiment of the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications can be resorted to which fall within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

In the drawing wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts throughout the several views:

The single FIGURE shows diagrammatically in perspective one embodiment of the invention.

In the diagrammatic embodiment shown in the drawing, the fabric passes in the direction indicated by the arrows 20 and 21 from the right to the left and the number of weft or filler threads or pics of this fabric per unit length are to be continuously checked as the fabric passes through the tenter frame diagrammatically illustrated by the enclosure 2.

In the preferred form, the fabric, as it leaves or is at the end of the tenter indicated by the exit arrow 21, is penetrated by a beam of light emanating from the light source 3.

This beam is intermittently interrupted by the passage of the individual filler or weft strands so that there will be a fluctuation of light in the photocell 4.

The photocell 4 will give a fluctuating electrical signal which may be amplified and fed to an electrical counter 5 which indicates the number of weft threads or filler threads passing per unit length.

On the main drive shaft 6 at the outlet end of the tenter frame, which is driven by the motor 22 and the belt 23, is positioned a shutter disc 7.

The shutter disc 7 is provided with the notches or openings 8 through which a beam from a source of light can act upon a photocell for periods equal to the interval of the count which it is desired to achieve.

The light emission opening in the extra light source 9 and the photocell opening in the photocell 10 are arranged so as to face each other as is true of the elements 3 and 4 so that the beam of light from the emitter 9 will extend across the periphery through the area indicated by the openings 8 and interrupted by the opaque or projection portion 7.

For example, the openings 8 in the shutter disc 7 may be so spaced or of such width as to assure from the beginning to the end of the count a length of exactly one inch or one centimeter of the traveling fabric 1 which will be passed between the source of light 3 and the photocell 4.

During the interception of the beam emitted by the source 9 at the opaque part of the shutter disc 7, the counter 5 ceases to indicate and the register or dial is returned to zero.

The count of the number of threads. in the traveling fabric 1 may be repeated at selected intervals by providing the shutter disc 7 with two, four or eight recesses indicated by the numeral 8.

In the preferred form of the invention, the openings 8 in the shutter disc 7 may be positioned to follow each other in sufficiently close sequence to cause the counter 5 to give a continuous indication of the number of threads in such manner that the rapidity of repetition prevents return of the counter to zero, to be exactly observable.

In the preferred form of the counter, as shown in element 5, there may be two readings, one of the units and the other of tens so that there may be an indication of between zero and ninety-nine threads per inch or per centimeter, which is normal of the range required.

Depending upon the reading and the variation in the reading from the actual number of threads required, the over-feed of the fabric in relation to the speed of travel of the fabric through the tenter frame may be regulated to give a greater or lesser number of pics, weft theads or filler threads at the inlet end of the frame.

This rectification or correction of the over-feed may be made throughout the operation without the need of stopping the machine, and since the shutter disc 7 is coupled to the main drive shaft 6 of the tenter frame, the count will automatically relate itself to the number of weft threads per centimeter or per inch, independent of the speed at which the tenter frame is operated.

. Although not preferred, a similar thread counting arrangement may be positioned at the inlet end of the tenter frame to promote an accurate determination to be obtained of the difference in count as the fabric passes through the machine, and this will produce an accurate determination of the shrinkage which is produced in the machine and permit adjustment in the over-feed to be made to regulate the shrinkage.

Although it is preferred to measure or count the number of weft or filler threads per centimeter or per inch,.with a two digit counter, it is also possible to utilize a count over a much greater length with a three digit counter. Such a three digit counter is indicated in having the windows or observation positions 24, and 26 at the upper right ofthe figure of the drawing.

Where it is desirable, however, with such a three digit counter onlyto measure the count per inch or centimeter,

the last window 26 may be masked and the counter 5 will then, in the remaining two Windows, show an average value.

Since it is so desirable that thread count numbers between 5 and 9 and the last digit should result in an increase by one in the tens digit, the decimal count in the units control is desirably arranged to begin at 5 instead of zero.

Thus an indication of between 5 to 9 threads in the last digit is desirably arranged to cause a unit to be transferred to the tens.

The shutter disc 7 with such an arrangement may have its openings 8 of sufficient width to permit, for example, a much greater length of fabric to travel through the photocell and light source from the beginning to the end of the count, and such count may be over 10 inches or 10 centimeters as the case may be.

With the three window device of element 5, with three counting devices, the device associated with the units digit, that is, the digit corresponding to the last window or indicator 26, is desirably shifted in relation to the tens control by half the width of the decimal interval, in which case the bearings indication in the units digit which are not significant to the determination of the constancy of the number of the threads will not be actually shown.

The advantage of such a count over an'increased length, say, ten times the unit length, will be apparent where, for example, when measuring per centimeter or per inch, the count discontinuously jumps from 7 to 29 threads or vice versa instead of giving a steady indication of only 28.

With a 10 centimeter or 10 inch count where the variation will be from 275 to 284 threads or strands per 10 centimeters or 10 inches, the indication in the hundreds and tens windows 24 and 25 will always be 28, even if there is a variation of as many as nine threads in the units window. This gives a better determination and eliminates insignificant variations which need not be controlled.

As many changes could be made in the above thread counting device, and many widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departure from the scope of the claims, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, what is claimed is:

1. A thread counting device for counting the number of threads per unit length in a moving fabric of the type having a light source, a photocell activated by said light source and means to pass a fabric therebetween and a thread count indicator actuated by the electrical signal fluctuations caused by successive threads moving between the source and the photocell; the combination therewith to an interrupter device having interruption means tointerrupt the indicator at predetermined intervals and control the indication to a predetermined unit length of fabric, said interrupter means consisting of a shutter disc rotating at a speed proportional to the speed of the means to pass the fabric and an additional light source and photocell positioned in respect to one another so .as to be interrupted by said interruption means and means for transmitting such signal thus created to the thread count indicator.

2. A thread counting device of the type having a control arrangement to regulate over-feed to a tenter frame in accordance with the desired number of fillerwise strands per unit length over an extended length of 10 centimeters to 10 inches and over a length much longer'than a centimeter to an inch comprising a light beam emitter source projecting a beam of light transverse to and against one side of the fabric as it leaves the tenter frame, a photocell at the opposite side of the fabric aligned with and activated by such portions of the beam of light as pass through the fabric between the filler strands'to cause, such photocell to generate a fluctuating electrical signal, a counter actuated by said electrical signal, a main drive shaft, a drive roller at the outlet of the tenter frame to drive said fabric driven by said main drive shaft, a shutter disc also driven by said main shaft having spaced openings for passage of a beam of light and means to inactivate said counter when said shutter disc is cutting on" the beam of light.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Stockbarger et a1 Dec. 19, 1939 Sandorif et a1. Ian. 29, 1952 Wolfi et a1. Dec. 8, 1953 Bridges et a1 Feb. 25, 195 8 Covely Oct. 6, 1959 Shapiro Dec. 22, 1959 

1. A THREAD COUNTING DEVICE FOR COUNTING THE NUMBER OF THREADS PER UNIT LENGTH IN A MOVING FABRIC OF THE TYPE HAVING A LIGHT SOURCE, A PHOTOCELL ACTIVATED BY SAID LIGHT SOURCE AND MEANS TO PASS A FABRIC THEREBETWEEN AND A THREAD COUNT INDICATOR ACTUATED BY THE ELECTRICAL SIGNAL FLUCTUATIONS CAUSED BY SUCCESSIVE THREADS MOVING BETWEEN THE SOURCE AND THE PHOTOCELL; THE COMBINATION THEREWITH TO AN INTERRUPTER DEVICE HAVING INTERRUPTION MEANS TO INTERRUPT THE INDICATOR AT PREDETERMINED INTERVALS AND CONTROL THE INDICATION TO A PREDETERMINED UNIT LENGTH OF FABRIC, SAID INTERRUPTER MEANS CONSISTING OF A SHUTTER DISC ROTATING AT A SPEED PROPORTIONAL TO THE SPEED OF THE MEANS TO PASS THE FABRIC AND AN ADDITIONAL LIGHT SOURCE AND PHOTOCELL POSITIONED IN RESPECT TO ONE ANOTHER SO AS TO BE INTERRUPTED BY SAID INTERRUPTION MEANS AND MEANS FOR TRANSMITTING SUCH SIGNAL THUS CREATED TO THE THREAD COUNT INDICATOR. 